Cole Howard of The Young and the Restless died, leaving his onscreen family and the soap's viewers shocked. As actor J Eddie Peck exited the show, the character's unexpected demise left his bereaved family lonely. The cause of Cole's death was explained to be a lack of response to antibiotics that treat Legionnaires' disease, something he contracted while on one of his business trips.
As expected, this sudden death drove The Young and the Restless fans to social media, where they opined on his departure. One fan, identifying as Lynn Eberly, commented:
"Because the writers don't know what they are doing."

Lynn was responding to a post by Judith Miller on the show's Facebook fan page. Miller questioned the reason behind bringing Cole back into The Young and the Restless storyline if they wanted to kill him off midway.

Many viewers replied to the post expressing views similar to Lynn's, blaming the writers.

Some pointed out how that may affect Claire and Victoria's story arcs.

The discussion led to speculations about who may survive the town. While some fans emphasized that Cole stayed in the role longer than intended, others thought he might not be dead.

The Young and the Restless: Revisiting Cole's departure plot
As longtime The Young and the Restless fans know, Cole was introduced as a baby to the soap in 1980-81, leaving the town for more than a decade. An adult, Cole, returned to relationship complications involving Nikki, Victoria, and Ashley.
A turning point in his marriage with Victoria was the loss of their daughter shortly after birth. They were informed that the child died when, in reality, the baby was kidnapped by Jordan. After their marriage, Cole left the town in 1993, disgusted by Ashley's demands.
In 2023, Jordan manipulated him back with the Newmans, planning to kill them all in revenge. While they survived, Cole learned his daughter was alive, as did Victoria. They reunited with their long-lost daughter, Claire. As the family settled into a fresh start, Cole joined Victor's company as an employee.
He returned from one of his business trips with a cough, which worsened over time. While he refused to get medical attention, he had a coughing fit during Nikki's birthday bash on Tuesday's episode, dated June 3, 2025. His worried family went for a medical consultation, and Cole was admitted to a medical institution in Chicago.
The Young and the Restless episode of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, found Victoria explaining the situation. She explained to Adam that Cole's body was not responding to the antibiotics, leaving him without a cure. Since his condition deteriorated, he was shifted back to town.
Victoria and Claire went to meet Cole just as the latter awoke from his sleep. He reaffirmed his love for them and asked Victoria to care for their daughter. He also informed Claire that he was proud of her. After kissing his wife, J Eddie Peck's Cole passed away.
Victoria and Claire were seen trying to grieve alone. They tried to be brave for each other, but broke down in private. The Newmans will return from their trip to France to this devastating news.
Also Read: I was heartbroken watching Cole Howard say goodbye—this The Young and the Restless scene broke me
Stay tuned to The Young and the Restless to know how the extended family reacts to Cole's death.